1978 20' Proline Classic Rebuild

[melba toast]

Not a lot to show for three good hours today. I got the outside of the starboard side stringer removed, and finished my grinding and prep work for the reinforcing layers of glass. I also lightly hand sanded the inside of transom with 40 grit.  I also cut all my glass for the lay up.

I am putting a matte/biaxial/matte down on the floor. This will give me a good working surface to adhere the stringers to. I also want to reinforce the bottom of the boat.

I am also going to lay a 3/4 oz matte over the inside of the transom. I want a good working surface to glass my stringers/knees to on the transom.

 

[melba toast]

In the 90 degree heat today!
 

Glass cut and dry fit complete, everything set for the lay up


Bottom glassed from outboard stringer to above chine. matte/biaxial/matte

I got some more grinding done after the glass set. Also, looks good for the shaping and tabbing of outboard stringers next week.

[seabob4]

Hey, you guys have Tripletail up there!  Capital!!

Dan, the Pres for a long time, still lives right at the west end of King's Bay in CR.  

Cutler Ridge?

Bob,
Dan lives off of Fort Island Trail (on the way out to Fort Island Trail park and boat ramp).  When you get out of Kings Bay and really get into the river, he lives off to port...

[melba toast]

I got (2) 4x8 sheets of 2" foam to work with.

I decided to offset my stringers about 3/4" from the existing stringers, shifting them slightly towards the chine. This will help to get a little additional overlap in the extra glass I am putting in the bottom as I go along. I am using scrap 1X4s as temporary shims against the old stringer material. The wood will not be glassed in. It just holds the foam in place, in order to glass the outboard side of the stringer.

I set a reference line along what will be the top of the stringer, based on my flange height.  Then I measured every foot and cut my foam to fit. The only issue I had was up towards the bow. The hull curves more dramatically up front and getting the bevel just right on the foam was a little tricky. I am set to hot tab the stringers in the morning, followed by glassing the outboard side with a number of layers of biaxial.

Then I will remove the rest of the old stringer and prep for glass work. I will then glass the inboard side, and will cap the stringers last. This way I can make any slight adjustments to get things perfectly level.



Setting a reference line




Checking the reference with stock aluminum, ect to make sure its level. Mike and Greg checking my progress




Dry fit complete, outboard stringers

[RickK]

Progress is a good thing.

[dirtwheelsfl]

Whats the laminate schedule on them things?

[gran398]

Your work looks good!

[seabob4]

Wow, look at that!  And old PL with real stringers!!!    

[melba toast]

We have them tabbed in with hot patches, fired it off with lots of catalyst, plus some other promoters (cobalt and something else that mike used). Then put a coat of resin on the foam to help prep because it absorbs so much resin.

I am glassing the outboard side of both outboard stringers Wednesday.

After that, I am prepping the inboard side for glasswork.

In the end, I will have 4 layers of biaxial, with matte in between each layer, on most of the stringer.

On each side:

I am going to put a biaxial/matte (1808) down first from near the top to 4" on the bottom of the boat. Then I will lay a 6" wide strip of biaxial 45/45 in the joint on each side, then a layer of 1.5 oz matte, then a final layer of 1808 with an wider overlap on the bottom and let it set.

After both sides are set, I am going over the entire layup with another layer of biaxial matte 1808 with an even wider overlap to cap the stringers off. I will add more glass to them when I cap if necessary.

[melba toast]

I got a lot of glass in today on the outboard side of 14' outboard stringers, working mainly by myself. I finished the starboard side long runs (13'), and got almost done with the port side long run (13') before the glass fired off on me and I had to quit.

Mike helped me up near the bow on the final 1', as I pre-wet out small strips of matte and biaxial on cardboard, and he laid them in the narrow section up where the stringer is now tied to the hull sides.

Here is the general layup of the stringer sides:

4.5" 45/45 biaxial matte (in joint)
12" 1.5 oz matte (3" overlap on bottom)
12" 45/45 biaxial (3" overlap on bottom)
14" 0/90 biaxial matte 1808 (5" overlap on bottom)

(stringers are ~ 9" tall)

*Will be putting a final layer of 3610 over the whole thing when I cap the stringers, with a 7" overlap




I will get a better pic tomorrow when I clean it all up and finish, but most of the glass is in.

*7/19 Update - Finished the glass work on both stringers, and also tied them into the transom at the stern with multiple layers of biaxial and matte. I am not going with stringer knees on the outboard stringers. I will put some knees on the inboard set. Will get a pic after I clean it all up, but the layup is beefy!

[melba toast]

Stopped by today to find a surprise. But, it was an easy fix.

Hindsight is 20/20, this is my first rodeo, and I worked solo alot this week.  My glass fired off too hot yesterday. I also should have clamped the foam to the old existing woven stringer on the inboard side and/or had it shimmed off the flange...

The result was that both sides cured overnight, and pulled the foam stringer at a slight angle leaning towards the outboard side. It was about 3/4" off the reference line .

I simply put in shims off the flange every few feet and was able to right the stringer to within a 1/4" or so of the reference line on both sides. Despite a ton of glass, the stringer was still a bit flexible after I took a diamond blade to the transom welds. These were small areas of glass than can be easily redone.

I will let the shims stay in place for a week or two, and perhaps correct the stringer a bit more next week... The stringer will take on the proper angle while I reglass the rest of the bottom of the boat, and then glass the inboard side of the stringer.
Lesson learned.

I also removed the outboard side of the stringers today and begin the rest of the grind to prep for the glassing of the inboard side.




Begining to correct stringer angle before glassing the inboard side

[melba toast]

I got in early today and got a good solid 4.5 hours of grinding in today. I am totally prepped for the next round of glass. A matte/biaxial/matte is going on the bottom - from under the outboard stringer almost all the way to the inboard stringer. I am also putting glass in the floor under the tank and in the keel.

I took a die grinder and cut a little groove underneath the foam stringer so that I can glass all the way underneath it. This 2" section, plus the 1" that I offset the stringer when I tabbed them in, will give me just enough room to get enough overlap in my bottom glass work.

I am going to fill the groove with microballoons before I glass the inboard side and seal the stringer. I also finished correcting the stringer angle with the shims today. The glass on the inboard side, plus my bulkheads and "wings", will fix it for good.


New areas prepped for bottom glass, stringer angle also fully corrected


Set to glass up underneath stringer also, will fill before glassing inboard side

[melba toast]

Got by today and added a layer of 1808 biaxial matte, and a layer of 1.5oz matte to the bottom from under the outboard stringer almost to the inboard stringer. I was able to get glass all the way up under the stringer with a 1/4" air roller.

Also got glass down under the fuel tank area. I am probably moving my tank forward about 6", so this is just a start. I am having to mix up my glass in 1/2 gallon batches. Things set up fast in this 95 degree heat. I glassed for two hours today, with only one acetone break, 15 cc's to a half gallon.

I hope to get by for a bit tomorrow and prep the new glass for the inside of the outboard stringer layup. I am also filling my groove underneath the stringer with microballoons. Then I will probably cut all my glass for the inside of stringer layup and try to get that done soon. After that it's bulkhead time.


matte/biaxial/matte from under stringer to close to the inboard stringer. Also glassed under tank and in keel.

[melba toast]

I mixed up some microballoon putty today. It's basically resin, hardener (tinted with dye), and the microballoons fiber. It is similar to mill fiber putty, but lighter in weight. I filled the groove under the stringer. I also hit any areas that I nicked while working the last two weeks. I fired off the putty in one pint batches with a little extra kick. By the time I finished the putty work, it was ready for a quick clean up and grind. I got everything prepped for the glassing of the inside of the outboard stringer. I'm ready to get that done so I can take out the shims and move on!


All prepped to glass inside of outboard stringer (forward view)


All prepped to glass inside of outboard stringer (stern view)


Groove and other areas filled with microballoon putty

[melba toast]

Glass on inside of outboard stringer, shims come out soon !




After shims are removed, will check stringer height, then will cap stringer